I went to a parts store down the street three times in one day. On the last trip, I wound up talking to the manager outside while he was on his break. He was interested in the VX, and I explained a bit about the features of the car. He started bragging on his '82 RX-7 which he said could smoke the tires all the way across the parking lot.

After a while, I got in the wife's VX and took off. As I backed out of the parking space, I threw it in first, dumped the clutch, and yanked the emergency brake. The car sat in place and performed the most glorious 92-hp burnout I've ever seen. I let the brake go and it smoked the front tire(s) all the way around the corner of the lot. The manager's eyes almost bugged out of his head.

The way the lot is set up, you have to drive to a side street and get out there at a stop light. I did so, and turned left across the front of the store again. Smoke was still rising from the lot as I drove by.

Does anyone else have any Herculean stories about their vehicles? (I have a couple more I will save until I have more time).

: a psychological condition or a relationship in which a person is controlled or manipulated by another who is affected with a pathological condition (as an addiction to alcohol or heroin) ; broadly : dependence on the needs of or control by another

I was driving north on Hwy 41 in Indiana just south of Terre Haute in my '95 del Sol S (Civic DX powertrain, 5-speed manual, 2301 lbs). The speed limit was 55. I left a stoplight and the '93-'97 V6 Firebird 5-speed in the next lane took off. I punched it and accelerated even with him through 1st gear. When I shifted into 2nd, I was even with his back bumper. When I shifted into 3rd, I was even with his door handle. As I pulled even, I could see him rocking in his seat, willing his car to go faster. When I shifted into 4th, I pulled head. When he shifted next, I pulled ahead by a car length or so.

At the next stop light, he pulled up to me and said, "That's a FAST little car you've got there! What's in that thing?"

I replied, "1.5 liter, 102 horse 4-cylinder. Stock." His girlfriend riding with him broke up into hysterical laughter. His pride wounded, he stayed at the light when it turned green and let me go.

My brother was following me down the Lloyd Expressway in Evansville in his new Highlander V6. At a stoplight, I pulled into the left lane to be the first car in line at the light, as there was a car in the middle lane in front of me. My brother pulled in the right lane. He wanted to try his luck. When the light turned green, I was surprised that the car in between us (a late '80s 302 Cougar with a sweet-sounding motor) took off as well. The Highlander's 4wd and the Cougar's torque let them pull out to a short lead, but as the high-lift, high-duration cam took over, I blew by them both. I ran hard until I reached the top of an overpass. Right as I got there, I saw the light bar hiding on the on-ramp.

I beat a BMW 330i from the same stoplight 3 days in a row on my way to work. The last time, he practically ran the red light trying to get the jump on me. He'd always pull out to a 1 or 2 car-length lead, but once my motor kicked in (at 5600 RPM), it would be no contest. That thing would scream to 8500 RPM like it was nothing. I miss it.

I used to have a dodge dakota (sold it a while back) it had a cold air intake, true dual flowmaster exhaust, ported and polised throttle body, 275 tires on the rear, and 4.10s in the rear. it was a short bed regular cab with the 4.7 liter and a 5 speed.

the truck from the outside looked bone stock other than the exhaust. there is a place where there is a light with 2 lanes and one of those lanes end so there is always some yahoo that will get in the lane that will end and "try their luck" as mentioned above. I was there and I was the only vehicle there and a honda civic with two girls pulled up beside of me. I looked over at my wife (she hates it when I do this) and she said "don't". the light turned green and like clockwork, those girls punched it. I slammed it as well and pulled way in front.

once on the highway, they passed me doing better than 100 but by that time, I had proven my point. I had about 360ft/lbs of torque in that truck.

I know, it was probably their momma's civic but it is still kinda funny to me.

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